Vending machine



Dec. 1, 1931. 1. MITCHELL VENDING MACHINE Filed July 8. 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTQR IRVING L. MH'CHELL BY M KM ATTORNEY Dec. 1, 1931. l. L. MITCHELL 1,834,721

VENDING MACHINE Filed July 8. 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR IRVlNG L. MITCHELL BY Ml ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 1, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT orrlca IRVING L. MITCHELL, OI BROOKLYN, NEW YORKQASSIGNOR TO DAVID ROBBINS, OF

NEW YORK, N.

VENDING MACHINE I Application filed July 8,.

My present invention relates to vending machines, and more particularly to an im-- proved vending machine of the coin-controlled type.

One of the main objects of my invention is to provide a novel, improved and fool-proofv vending machine of the coin-controlled type for vending measured quantities of merchandise sold in bulk, and stored for the supply in a receptacle superposed on the measuring device, the merchandise being fedbygravity to the delivery mechanism, the imvention may be carried into effect.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of such parts of the apparatus as are involved in the invention,

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, r

Fig. 3 is another plan view of the appa ratus shown in Fig. 1, certain of the elements shown in the latter being removed,

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the wiper device embodied in the present invention,

Fig. 5 is a rear elevation of. the same de- V168,

Fig. 6 is a view of the underside of the device shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in'which like characters of reference indicate the same parts in the different views there is shown in Fig. 1 a portion of an apparatus wherein a predetermined bulk of small articles may be withdrawn from a receptacle, after the insertion of a'coin' which alone will render the movable parts of the Serial No. 548,557.

apparatus. operative for'thatpurpose. Only so much of the apparatus is shown as is essential to a clear understanding of the present invention. Those skilled in the art are acquainted with this type of vendin machine which comprises a case 1 of su stantia-lly square cross-section, the front of the case usually being left open to receive a glass closure, the flanges 2, 2 usually being pro vided on the front of the case to provide a guide for inserting such a glass closure.

The apparatus is of a very simple construction and includes a base plate 3 (the construe tion of which is shown in detail in Fig. 3)

which divides the case into an upper portion 4 for receiving the articles to be vended, and a lower portion 5 which has disposed therein the delivery chute 6. The base plate 3 is of substantially the same configuration as the cross-section of the case, and is also provided with a cut-away portion 7 whereby the coin control mechanism (not shown) may arranged adjacent the driving gear of the meas uring wheel to be described hereinafter.

The plate 3 is provided with rear and side flanges 8, and these flanges may be secured to the walls of the case by any well known securing means, such as for example rivets 9. The upper edges of each of the flanges 8 are bent to form securing means 10, this being 110- complished by bending the top edge of each flange forwardly, and bending a portion of the forwardly bent edge to the rear, each rearwardly bent portion being spaced from its adjacent case wall. Thus three such rearwardly bent flanges 11 are provided above the plate 3. It will be seen that the flanges 8 extend a considerable distance above the plane of the plate 3.

' As a matter of fact it is preferable to have the height of the flanges 8 such as to make it substantially equal to the height of the measuring wheel 12 to be shortly described. The base plate 3 is, furthermore, provided with an outlet aperture 13, the latter preferably hav ing a configuration as shown in Fig. 3. The delivery chute 6 has its upper flange 14 secured to the underface of the plate 3 byzany means (not shown) well known to those skilled in the art. A side wall 15 of the chute may also be secured to the adjacent wall of the casing 1 in any desired manner. It will of course be clearly understood that the lower opening of the chute 6 may terminate outside the lower portion of the case in any desired manner (not shown). It is again pointed out that the view-in Fig. 1 shows a front elevation of a vending machine well known to those skilled in the art wherein the coin-control actuating mechanism and the entire front slidable wall of the case have been removed, the upper portion of the case 1 and the lower portion thereof being partly broken away in order to preserve simplicity of description. The chute 6 for the articles delivered communicates at its upper end with the outlet ill opening, or aperture, 13, it being clearly understood that the lower end of the chute, is usually closed by a pivotable closure to be opened only for removing the articles de' livered through the chute 6. It will also be seen that the upper end of the chute 6 has a considerably greater area than that of the outlet 13, and overlaps the latter.

A horizontal turn-table or measuring wheel 12 is mounted upon the plate 8, the tahis being provided with a. plurality of spacd radial slots 16, there being six such slots pro vided in the present case. The table commonly employed in this type of machine has a hollow interior, the hub 17 thereof having each of six spaced portions 18 functioning as an inner wall of each slot 16, it being understood that the interior of the hub 17 is hollow.

It will now be appreciated that each slot 16 comprises an inner wall 18, an opposite wall 19 and two centrally converging side walls 20, the top and bottom of each slot being open. As the table, or wheel. 12, is rotated upon its axis, the under-peripheral rim into the delivery'chute 6 by gravity, when a given slot 16 moves over the aperture 13. In this way, delivery of articles is simply and satisfactorily secured.

The configuration of each slot 16 is of substantially the same configuration as that'of the outlet aperture 13, with the exception that the area of the latter is somewhat greater than that of any one slot 16. The upper peripheral rim of the wheel 12 is provided with a circle of spaced teeth 21, the latter functioning as the driven means whereby rotation of the wheel 12 upon its axis is secured. The teeth slightly overhang the outer rim 12 of the wheel. As is well known to those skilled in the construction of this type of vending machine the teeth are so proportioned that movement of a manually operated, coin control, driving pinion through a predetermined are results in a movement of the wheel 12 through an arc in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 2,.which arc is sufiicient to bring a loaded slot 16 in registration with the outlet aperture 13. The manual control pinion and its associated coin control mechanism are not shown for the reason that they are well known to those skilled in the art, and also since they do not form the subject matter of this inven tion, it being believed to be sufficient for the present purpose to point out that the teeth 21 are adapted to be driven-by means of any well known type of coin controlled pinion to move the measuring turn-table through a prede termined are every time a coin is placed in the coin-control mechanism.

As stated heretofore the height, or depth, of the table 12 is such that its upper face is in substantial alignment with the upper edges of the flanges 8 of the base plate 3. This arrangement is provided in order to permit the positioning of a hopper device, generally denoted by the reference numeral 22, above the cle which includes the walls 19 of each slot 16. From Fig. 1 it will be observed that the plane of the opening of said hopper is spaced from the plane including the outer edges 24 of the hopper.

It will be, furthermore, observedthat the hopper is maintained in fixed position with respect to the base plate 3 by curving the side and rear edges 24 so that each such edge 24 may be disposed in hooked relation with each rearwardly bent edge 11 of each flange 8 of the base plate 3. It will now be seen that every portion of the hopper plate 22 slopes downwardly, and at an angle, towards the periphery 23' of the hopper opening. This is represented by the inclined outer periphery 25, in Fig. '1. The line 23 of the hopper opening is so positioned with respect to the upper face of the measuring wheel that sliding contact between the rim 23 and the upper face of the wheel 12 is permitted without binding between the two.

it will be appreciated that the hopper 22 also serves as a false bottom for the storing receptacle portion 4, and, due to the sloping face of the hopper, guides the articles stored in the portion 4 above the hopper towards the slot 16. It is quite obvious that some device is necessary to insure the delivery ot a slot full of articles, and no more.

Clearly, assuming the entire space filled with articles, the lower articles of the storage space 4 resting upon the sloping face of the hopper 22 and completely filling all the slots 16, and covering as well the portions 20 between slots 16. as soon as a slot- 16 moved into registration with the outlet aperture 13 there would be an endless flow of articles through the delivery chute. It will therefore be seen that it is essential in a device of this type to not only remove the surplus articles heaped in a slot 16 above the plane of the upper surface of the wheel 12, but it is essential to provide an arrangement which will simultaneously prevent articles from the space l from entering into a slot 16, which is in registration at that moment with the opening 13, as the said slot 16 is unloaded.

Still another factor must be considered in accomplishing these features. It often happens, particularly when irregular objects are being vended, that an object which protrudes above the plane of the upper face of the. wheel 12 is wedged in such protruding position between the converging walls of aslot 16. In such a case, obviously, the combinedwiper and guard device to be employed should be of such a construction that there is no opportuniay for such protruding articles to jam or lockthe measuring wheel against further rotation. Furthermore, such a construction should not only be simple and foolproof, but should be self-adjustable to accommodate itself to irregular, or regular, objects of varying width, and varying degrees of protrusion beyond a slot 16. The device to be herein after described in detail permits the accomplishment of these various functions in a highly simplified and novel construction.

The combined article guard and wiper is shown in detailed construction in Figs. 4, 5 and. 6, and as shown therein consists of a hollow casing, or box, provided with four walls, two of the walls 30, 31 being rigid plates securedto each other at adjacent edges thereof, the other two walls of the wiper device each comprising a plurality of aligned, independently flexible spring coils. In Fig. 6, which shows a view of the wiper device from underneath thereof, it willbe seen that the resilient wall 32, opposite the plate wall 31, comprises a row of six coil springs, and that the wall 33, opposite the wall plate 30, also consists of a row of six coils. As shown in Fig. 4 each of the coils 34 forming the wall 32 is secured at its upper end thereof, by soldering or otherwise, to the cover plate 35 from which the walls 30 and 31 depend.

In the same manner it will be observed. as shown in Fig. 5, that the coils 36, forming the resilient wall 33, are likewise secured at each upper end to the plate 35, six coils 36 being provided in this wall as well. Itwill longer than the coil preceding it. It will also be observed that, as shown in Fig. that the coil 33 adjacent the last of the coils 3i is of substantially the same length as the said coil 34, while each succeeding coil 33 of less length than each preceding one. The last of the coils 36 is preferably of about the same length as the coil adjacent the wall 30.

It will now be seen that the wiper device has an open bottom, and that each of the resilient walls 32 and 33 comprises a series of independently flexible spring members, specilically coils, and that moreover each of the walls 32 and 33 is self-adjustable to perm it the movement of articles of varying width from a point outside the wall 33 into the interior of the casin and out a ain tl'iroii h the wall 32, to a point outside the casing. Of course, the reverse movement is also true.

It will therefore be seen that on two walls, 32, 33 may function a selfadjustable entrance into the interim of the casing, and the other wall as a self-adjustable exit out of the casing. In order to provide a means for securing the aforementioned combined guard and wiper device, a "1p plate 40 is aliixed, as by means of :1 rivet at], to the outer face of the cover plate 35 of the casing, the cap plate being provided with short flanges and two corner securing legs 43, 44. The leg 43 is provided at a corner between a coil 34. and a coil 36, and is of sub stantially the same length as both these coils. On the other hand. the leg 44 is provided at the corner adjacent the chute coil 38, and is of substantially the same length as the walls 30,31.

Each of the legs 43. al is provided with an apertured securing toe 4-5, being part of the leg t ll be noted from Figs. 4:, and i") that the tons in each row of coils are slightly red from each other However, spacing should he ust sufiicient to perm ly iiexure my given coil without binding with any ot er coil.

In Figs. 1 and 2 l have shown the manner in which the combined w I r and guard device, shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6, mounted upon the sloping upper face of the hopper 22, and upon the upper face of the hub l? of the measuring wheel 12. The toe l5 of the leg 44 is secured in any well known man nor, as by a bolt, to a portion of the sloping upper face of the hopper 22 immediately adjacent the periphery 23 of the hopper opening. The too 45 is similarly secured to the central portion of the upper face of the hub 17 of the measuring wheel, while the wall 30 is secured similarly to an upstanding flange 50, partly bent of the hopper 22.

It will be observed that the wall 30 extends of the the toe 45 p above the hopper, and that the combined guard and wiper casing completely covers a given slot 16 when it is in registration with the aperture 13. It will also be seen that the resilient walls 32 and 33 are so arranged with respect to the slot 16 of the measuring wheel,

that the row of coils 36 have their lower edges in wiping contact with the upper face of the measuring wheel. This is also true of the row of coils 34. It will likewise be appreciated that the row of coils are arranged substantially at an angle equal to 90 to each other, and that each. row of coils extends radially from substantially the center of the hub 17 to the periphery portion 23' of th hopper 23.

The reason for having the coils successively longer as they "approach the leg 43, and having the coils '36 successively shorter as they approach the leg 44 will now be seen.

Obviously, since the upper face of the hop-.

per 22 surrounding the periphery 23 slopes upwardly, the coils towards the hub17 should be somewhat longer than coils closer to the periphery ofthehopperopening. In this way, there is assured a substantially constant wiping relation between all of the coils 36 and 34 with respect, to the upper face of the measuring wheel. Y

The operation of the present invention is now believed to be clear with the aid of the above description and the drawings. As has been explained heretofore upon movement of the manually actuated coin-control, driving pinion, the measuring wheel is rotated through a predetermined arc. Assuming that the entire space surrounding the hopper 22 and the upper face of the measuring wheel 12 are full of articles of varying shapes and widths to be vended, and assuming that the measuring wheel is moving in a direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 2, it will be seen that as the slot 16' in Fig. 2 approaches the row of coils 36, the first action of the coils is to level oil the articles in slot 16 so that only a substantially exact slot-full of articles will enter into the interior of the guard casing.

Now, if there are no articles held in the slot 16 which protrude beyond the plane of the upper face of the measuring wheel 12, no

one of the coils will be flexed, merely wiping wheel.

action only being accomplished in such a case.

' However, if any. article in slot 16 protrudes beyond the plane of the upper face of,

wiping wall 33 is self-adjustable to permit articles of varying width, protruding from the slot 16', to pass by the wall. It should be understood that it is much more desirable to have an article protruding beyond the upper opening of the slot 16, and thus deliver per haps slightly more than the coins worth, than to have a jamming action occur between the wiping device and the measuring wheel.

When the slot 16 has moved into the interior of the casing'and in registration .with the aperture 13, the contents of the slot 16' of course, is emptied by gravity into the chute 6. If the protruding article has been jam med between the converging walls 20 of the slot 16' upon a further actuation of the measuring wheel in the direction of the arrow (that is, when another coin is employed to move the wheel) it is again essential to guard against jamming between the guard casing and the measuring wheel. If the wall 32 were rigid, as the walls 30 and 31, then it is easily seen that when the slot 16' moved towards the outside of the casing that the protruding article would pass safely through the wall 33 to be jammed between the wall 32 and the measuring wheel. However, by having the coils 34 independently flexible, the same action will take place as was ex plained in connection with the coils 36.

In other words, such coils 3 l-which are in the path of the protruding article will be pushed outwardly and thus permit the article wedged in the slot 16' to safely move out of the casing interior. It will thus be seen that the wall 32 serves as a self-adjustable exit wall and guards against jamming or binding at that point.

Other advantages of this combined novel and fool-proof wiper and guard device will readily occur to those skilled in the art. It is to be clearly understood that the present explanation of the operation of this device does not include all the possible evils guarded against by the present invention, but that jamming, binding or other disadvantages requiring costly servicing are eliminated by the use of the present invention.

Moreover, while I have indicated and described one arrangement for carrying my invention into effect, it will be apparent to one skilled in .the art that my invention is by no meanslimited to the particular organizations shown and described, but that many modifications may be made without depart ing from the scope of my invention as set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a vending machine, the combination with'a base plate, of a frame provided with a circular opening spaced from said plate, a horizontally mounted turn-table mounted on said plate and provided with a plurality of spaced, radial compartments, an outlet aperture in plate below said table adapted to register with said compartments, a receptacle surrounding said frame, and a wiper device, secured to said frame, extending over a portion of said table and including a pair of angularly disposed rows of resilient coils.

2. In a vending machine, the combination with a base plate, of a frame provided with a circular opening spaced from said plate, a horizontally mounted turn-table mounted on said plate and provided with a plurality of spaced, radial compartments, an outlet aperture in plate below said table adapted to registerwith said compartments, a receptacle surrounding said frame, and a wiper device, secured to said frame, extending over a p0rtion of said table and including a pair of angularly disposed rows of resilient coils, said coils being relatively movable.

3. In a vending machine, the combination with a base plate, of a frame provided witha circular opening spaced from said plate, a horizontally mounted turn-table mounted on said plate and provided with a plurality of spaced, radial compartments, an outlet aperture in plate below said table adapted to register with said compartments, a receptacle surrounding said frame, and a wiper device, secured to said frame, extending over a portion of said table and including a pair of angularly disposed rows of resilient members, said device being arranged in substantial alignment with said outlet aperture.

4. In a vending machine, a receptacle for the goods to be vended, a base plate for said receptacle provided with an outlet aperture,

a delivery chute disposed under said plate" and aligned with said aperture, a horizontal measuring wheel rotatably secured to said plate, said wheel being provided with a plurality of spaced, radial slots, each of said slots being of substantially the configuration of said aperture, a false bottom spaced from, and secured to, said plate and provided with an opening, the periphery of the latter contacting with the periphery of the upper face of said wheel, a hollow guard casing secured to said bottom, said casing being arranged to overlap a portion of said wheel upper face, two walls of said casing comprising a plurality of substantially vertical, independently flexible members, all of said members being in wiping relation to said wheel upper surface, the members in each wall being in alignment with one another.

5. In a vending machine, a receptacle for the goods to be vended, a base plate for said receptacle provided with an outlet aperture,

a delivery chute disposed under said plate and aligned with said aygerture, a horizontal measuring wheel rotata ly secured to said plate, said wheel being provided with a plurality of spaced, radial slots, each of said slots being of substantially the configuration of said aperture, a false, bottom spaced from, and secured to, said plate and provided .mem

with an opening, the periphery of the latter contacting with the periphery of the upper face of said wheel, a hollow guard casing secured to said bottom, said casing being arranged to overlap a portion of said wheel upper face, two walls of said casing comprising a plurality of substantially vertical, indeppndently flexible members, all of said ers being in wiping relation to said wheel upper surface, said casing being arranged in substantial alignment with at leastone of said slots and said base plate aperture.

6. In a vending machine, a receptacle for the goods to be vended, a base plate for said receptacle provided with an outlet aperture,

a delivery chute disposed under said plate and aligned with said aperture, a horizontal measuring wheel rotatably secured to said plate, said wheel being provided with a plurality of spaced, radial slots, each of said slots being of substantially the configuration of sald aperture, a false bottom spaced from, and secured to, said plate and provided with an opening, the periphery of the latter contacting with the periphery of the upper face of sald wheel, a hollow guard casing secured to said bottom, said casing being arranged to overlap a portion of said wheel upper face, two walls of said casing comprising a plurality of substantially vertical, inde ndently flexible members, all of said mem ers being in. wiping relation to said wheel upper surface, the members in each of said walls consisting of coils in alignment. .7. A wiper device for 'a vending machine measuring wheel comprising a hollow. casing, each of at least two walls thereof comprising a plurality of aligned, independently flexible, resilient coils adapted to be disosed in Wiping relation to said wheel surace.

IRVING L. MITCHELL. 

